Back to top

Image: Bigstock

BDX or MMSI: Which Is the Better Value Stock Right Now?

Read MoreHide Full Article

Investors interested in Medical - Dental Supplies stocks are likely familiar with Becton Dickinson (BDX - Free Report) and Merit Medical (MMSI - Free Report) . But which of these two companies is the best option for those looking for undervalued stocks? Let's take a closer look.

There are plenty of strategies for discovering value stocks, but we have found that pairing a strong Zacks Rank with an impressive grade in the Value category of our Style Scores system produces the best returns. The proven Zacks Rank puts an emphasis on earnings estimates and estimate revisions, while our Style Scores work to identify stocks with specific traits.

Becton Dickinson and Merit Medical are sporting Zacks Ranks of #2 (Buy) and #3 (Hold), respectively, right now. The Zacks Rank favors stocks that have recently seen positive revisions to their earnings estimates, so investors should rest assured that BDX has an improving earnings outlook. But this is just one factor that value investors are interested in.

Value investors are also interested in a number of tried-and-true valuation metrics that help show when a company is undervalued at its current share price levels.

The Style Score Value grade factors in a variety of key fundamental metrics, including the popular P/E ratio, P/S ratio, earnings yield, cash flow per share, and a number of other key stats that are commonly used by value investors.

BDX currently has a forward P/E ratio of 20, while MMSI has a forward P/E of 32.85. We also note that BDX has a PEG ratio of 2.42. This popular metric is similar to the widely-known P/E ratio, with the difference being that the PEG ratio also takes into account the company's expected earnings growth rate. MMSI currently has a PEG ratio of 2.59.

Another notable valuation metric for BDX is its P/B ratio of 2.94. Investors use the P/B ratio to look at a stock's market value versus its book value, which is defined as total assets minus total liabilities. By comparison, MMSI has a P/B of 3.97.

These are just a few of the metrics contributing to BDX's Value grade of B and MMSI's Value grade of C.

BDX stands above MMSI thanks to its solid earnings outlook, and based on these valuation figures, we also feel that BDX is the superior value option right now.


See More Zacks Research for These Tickers


Normally $25 each - click below to receive one report FREE:


Becton, Dickinson and Company (BDX) - free report >>

Merit Medical Systems, Inc. (MMSI) - free report >>

Published in